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Protecting the Community - Research and Development

Summary of Initiatives:                            Item Status:

• UAV for mapping & Fire Management       Initial investigation
• Brigade GPS Mapping System                Now Operational in Rural Fire Service & DES.
• Mobile Vehicle Location System             Extension of Oz iExplorer Moving Maps and Server Technology
• New IMT Trailer                                  Base trailer donated thanks to Energex with full fit-out thanks to Gary Chapman and Team.
• High Pressure Pump Systems                 Pumps with 12mm Hose / Nozzle in operation, awaiting RFS Approval.
• High Visibility Station Work Wear            Improved fire fighter safety
• Portable Pumps                                   Portable Pump In operation.
• Full Face Masks                                  Full Face Facemasks In operation.
• New Pacific Helmet - fitted goggles        Successfully trialed, in operation.
• Voice Activated UHF Radios                  Investigating programmable UHF (CB) radios with voice activation microphones.

  UAV for Mapping and Fire Management

For a summary of our experiment with UAV, please Click Here.

Pilots operate the aircraft via computer plans, GPS and live video feed from remote locations.

The UAV's are small, light and can carry video as well as GPS location equipment.

Data can be seen live at IMT centres to assist with fire management and hazard reduction burns.

Brigade GPS Mapping System

The Brigade was one of four Rural Fire Service Brigades invited to a technology forum at the Dept of Emergency Services at Kedron in 2007 to advance the understanding of computerised mapping and the practical use of GPS systems. Through the integration of satellite tracking technologies, GPS hand held units and computer mapping programs; an important information tool is now available for teams that are involved with managing fire both in a preventative manner as well as in response to an incident. The aim of the group consisting members of Crows Nest RFB, Samford RFB, Kurirup RFB and Ripley valley RFB as well as GIS staff at Kedron was ultimately to identify a new standard approach to utilising this technology in the future in the management of wildfire. We would like to pass on our gratitude to all team members for there shared knowledge and experiences in this exercise. At the 2010 RFS Summit, the GPS mapping Toolkit was launched. Research into technology extension will continue and Ripley Valley RFB will be proud to help where it can.

 

We've built on our early documentation with learnings from this collaboration group and developed the latest Brigade GPS Mapping Process per the attached document. Click here. To access an Operational Guide for the Garmin 78s GPS Units, please Click Here. The Brigade also has a set of preferences to the set-up of the unit which can be accessed by Clicking Here.

 

Incident Support Unit Trailer

The brigade has finished a project which has seen the development of an incident support unit trailer for use with remote IMT roles. The attached document outlines the rationale and operating procedures for the ISU trailer. Please Click Here to access it.

 

High Pressure Pump and Motor Trials

The Brigade has been trialling high pressure pump systems for a number of years now. For rural fire fighting, diaphragm pumps are needed to to handle inconsistent water quality. Early IZone appliances (Yankees) in the Urban fleet had piston driven high pressure pump systems which had higher maintenance issues; especially if utilised with water containing grit. These newer systems with high pressure diaphragm pumps also use a smaller 12mm rubber hose on one reel stand for long distance fire attack (up to 100m). With a special nozzle, this solution is ideal on low intensity, hard to reach fires such. The high pressure jet of water pushes through thick or matted grass, knocks of bark, reaches high burning trees, blasts a bare earth break and generally extinguishes vegetation fires better than standard pressure systems. The other advantage is a significant reduction in water usage which means the appliance can remain active in the field a lot longer. The brigade has installed self winding, self guiding hose reel stands onto both our Medium appliances thanks to donations from the public.

RV51 has the most recently installed trial system (in 2011) and features a Quikcorp solution that utilises a 6HP Diesel motor and Bertolini Pump. The pump (and main pump) are connected to the main truck fuel tank and a panel arrangement has been installed to block noise from the operator and allow them to stand beside the truck instead of behind the truck out of sight of the driver. The operator can control both pump motors from that location which also reduces the risk of being impacted by traffic from the rear in smokey conditions. An alarm and light activate if the truck tank reaches 25% capacity.

On RV52, the Brigade has been trialling a 6.5HP petrol motor driving a small Comet pump system since early 2008. This solution is mounted on a platform over the foam tank. This solution has served the Brigade well through several fire seasons as well as in the clean-up efforts following the floods of 2011.

 

Hi Visibility Work Gear

Portable Pumps

Each medium appliance now has a portable fire fighting pump that can be dropped off near a pool or dam to either re supply an appliance or be used to feed a hose and fight fire in property protection mode. Slightly smaller and lighter than a traditional high volume pump; these pumps can still be used as a stand alone pump system.

 

Full Face Masks

The Brigade has purchased a number of full face masks for trial and evaluation when fighting fire in heavily smokey areas. These units are now in operation and offer very good protection of the face as well as dual air filters to assist fire fighters when tackling damp or dense scrub fires that produce considerable smoke. They are not for structure fire fighting and in those cases, Urban units would attend who have proper self contained breathing apparatus.

 

New Fire Goggles

The Brigade is also trialling the new fire goggles from Pacific Helmets that click directly to the helmets. This set is being modeled by JB with smokey yellow lenses. These goggles are supposed to offer greater convenience in storage on the helmet and the ability to quickly be fitted when needed when fighting standard grass and scrub fires.

Programmable CB Radios

The Brigade is investigating new UHF (CB) radios for crew to crew communications. These units are small, run off 2 x AA rechargable batteries, have 5W of power which can reach several kilometres, and are programmable so that there are never instances of cross comms with outsiders. The units also have an optional ear piece with voice activated transmission. To learn more about the Brigade's use of the latest Uniden 720X, please Click Here.